The walking cane has been with man and woman virtually from man's beginning on earth. Down through the ages canes have taken on countless shapes and forms. The sturdy canes, of so much comfort and assistance to the lame and disabled, can become a bothersome nuisance to the user who is sitting in a restaurant or in a motor vehicle, does not need the cane at that moment and finds no place to conveniently stash it away until it is again needed. Thus, it is not surprising that many proposals have been advanced for canes that can be dismantled or collapsed for more convenient storage.
The collapsible canes of the past often have, like their users, suffered from one or more disabilities. Collapsible canes with insufficient strength have often collapsed when not intended to collapse. Others, when dismantled, or collapsed, have been difficult to reassemble or erect when needed. This latter malady can be frustrating for the elderly user suffering, say, from arthritis, who has difficulty manipulating the cane components with painfully stiffened fingers. And then there have been collapsible canes replete with gadget like features having no aesthetic appeal whatsoever.
What has been needed is a cane which is sturdy and reliable when used for walking, can be quickly and easily converted between its use and storage conditions even by persons lacking manual dexterity and which has at least a modicum of aesthetic appeal.